THAT THERE MAY BE A FAIRER SOCIETY IN GHANA - ONE IN WHICH ALL THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST A POWERFUL AND GREEDY FEW, BENEFIT FROM THE NATION'S WEALTH!

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Are International Criminal Syndicates Laundering Money By Purchasing Real Estate In Ghana?

It appears that many have forgotten that when he urged those in charge of security at the VIP lounge at Accra's international airport, to search all who went through it thoroughly - himself included - the late President Mills said at the time that he was apprehensive that one day, some important person with links to it, might embarrass his regime by attempting to smuggle illicit drugs abroad, using the VIP lounge.

With the benefit of hindsight, it is obvious that President Mills knew what he was contending with. Clearly, he did not trust the crooks-in-high-places at the time - who he knew were prone to act with impunity in their tunnel-visioned pursuit of wealth, regardless of the consequences.

An old wag I know, once remarked that he had often wondered why powerful people of a certain age, "who are fond of consorting with young bimbos, simply don't marry two wives their own age, and stick to them - if they have an overly adventurous nature: where the fairer sex are concerned."

Sound advice, indeed, some might say - if they can find two women willing to share a husband in an open polygamous marriage limited to two women, that is.

Perhaps if the crooks-in-high-places in President Mahama's regime had heeded that advice, and married two wives and stuck with them, they would not have been involved with aluring, pretty-faced female criminal-types, now safe in the custody of UK law enforcement agencies - for allegedly smuggling 12.5 kilos of cocaine into the UK: and spared the Mahama administration's blushes. Such is life.

The trouble about the global illicit drugs industry, is that those involved in what is a deadly enterprise - who often operate from the shadows - are invariably incredibly wealthy and influential individuals. Their enormous wealth enables them to control politicians and highly-placed public officials, and to undermine institutions of state in many developing nations - including Ghana.

The attitude of President Mahama in all this, should be that if those privileged enough to know him personally, abuse their friendship with him - by dealing in illicit drugs, and were the details of such drug dealing to come to light - they must not expect to be shielded by the president of a nation whose citizens now expect those at the top of society to be accountable and transparent. Always.

In any case, Ghanaians must rest assured: There cannot be a cover-up in the Ms. Nayele Ametefeh Heathrow airport cocaine smuggling case. The world will eventually get to know all the details in that particular matter. All in good time.

What is most unfortunate for Ghanaian society, in my humble view, is that so many in the Ghanaian media world, seem to be completely oblivious of the many bush-telegraph stories swirling around that international criminal syndicates, are actually laundering cash from illicit drug sales, by purchasing real estate in Ghana.

Whiles the allegations against Ms. Nayele Ametefeh are serious, and damage Ghana's image in the UK somewhat, the real menace to Ghana, comes from international drug syndicates laundering cash from their sales of illicit drugs, by purchasing real estate in Ghana - if those bush-telegraph stories are true, that is. We must confront this menace head on, as a people, if it is truly occuring.